With Plural Alignments On The Same Substrate Patents (Class 349/129)
  • Patent number: 8681299
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display panel which allows high quality display by suppressing a disturbance of liquid crystal molecule alignment caused by formation of liquid crystal alignment control protrusions. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention is a liquid crystal display panel including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, one of the pair of the substrates including a colored layer, a light-shielding layer, and walled liquid crystal alignment control protrusions projecting toward the other substrate, the liquid crystal alignment control protrusions including a main protrusion and a secondary protrusion lower than the main protrusion, and the secondary protrusion not being provided along a borderline between the colored layer and the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Kitano, Yutaka Sawayama
  • Patent number: 8681298
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of a high image quality is provided in which occurrence of a leakage current between pixel electrodes is prevented. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention has a plurality of pixels 10, including a first pixel 10a and a second pixel 10b which are side by side along the first direction. The liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate 60 which includes a first electrode 20a provided in the first pixel 10a and a second electrode 20b provided in the second pixel 10b; a second substrate 70 which is arranged so as to oppose the first substrate 60; and a liquid crystal layer 80 interposed between the first substrate 60 and the second substrate 70. The first electrode 20a includes a plurality of first branch portions 30a extending toward the second pixel 10b. The second electrode 20b includes a plurality of second branch portions 30b extending toward the first pixel 10a side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshida, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Yasuyoshi Kaise
  • Patent number: 8681297
    Abstract: When viewed from the top of the liquid crystal display panel, a projecting section (4a) of a picture element electrode (4) is formed so as to at least partially match a contact hole (17). It is therefore possible to provide the liquid crystal display panel which achieves a high quality display and has a high aperture ratio and high transmittance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuhko Hisada, Takaharu Yamada, Satoshi Horiuchi, Ryohki Itoh
  • Patent number: 8675161
    Abstract: A substrate of a liquid crystal display device includes a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode adjacent to the first pixel electrode in a first direction, a third pixel electrode adjacent to the first pixel electrode in a second direction intersecting the first direction, a first alignment film provided in a first gap between the first pixel electrode and the second pixel electrode to align the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer along the second direction, a second alignment film provided in a second gap between the first pixel electrode and the third pixel electrode to align the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer along the first direction, and a third alignment film provided in the first gap and the second gap while covering the pixel electrodes to align the liquid crystal molecules along a normal of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Takaaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8675162
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display panel which allows high quality display by suppressing a disturbance of liquid crystal molecule alignment caused by formation of liquid crystal alignment control protrusions. The liquid crystal display panel of the present invention is a liquid crystal display panel including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, one of the pair of the substrates including a colored layer, a light-shielding layer, and walled liquid crystal alignment control protrusions projecting toward the other substrate, the liquid crystal alignment control protrusions including a main protrusion and a secondary protrusion lower than the main protrusion, the secondary protrusion being provided on the colored layer along a borderline between the colored layer and the light-shielding layer, and the total of the height of the secondary protrusion and that of the colored layer being substantially the same as the height of the light-shielding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takafumi Kawanishi, Yutaka Sawayama
  • Patent number: 8675157
    Abstract: Provided are a thin-film transistor (TFT) display panel in which grayscale inversion at sides of the TFT display panel is controlled to improve color at sides thereof due to the shifting of chromaticity coordinates, and a liquid crystal display (LCD) including the TFT display panel. The TFT display panel includes a first pixel electrode corresponding to a first pixel, a second pixel electrode corresponding to a second pixel, and a third pixel electrode corresponding to a third pixel, wherein each of the first through third pixel electrodes includes a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode which receive different data voltages from the data lines, and saw-toothed fine patterns are formed on oblique edges of the first subpixel electrode of the first pixel electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seong-Young Lee, Jae-Ho Choi, Joon-Chul Goh, Young-Soo Yoon
  • Patent number: 8675160
    Abstract: A display device is provided. The display device includes a liquid crystal display panel, a cover lens, a first optical film and a first polarized film. The liquid crystal display panel is vertical alignment mode. The cover lens is disposed on a light exit surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The first optical film having a ¼ wavelength retardation effect is disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the cover lens. A gap layer is formed between the first optical film and the liquid crystal display panel. The first polarized film is disposed between the first optical film and the cover lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Chi-Kuang Lai
  • Patent number: 8659730
    Abstract: A liquid crystal dripping method has a problem in that an uncured sealant increases in width at the time of attaching a pair of substrates and thus a liquid crystal material enters the sealant and unevenness occurs in the inner periphery of the sealant. A region in which reduced is the speed of diffusion of liquid crystal at the time of attaching a pair of substrates is provided between a sealant and an orientation film. Further, time for diffusing the liquid crystal and coming in contact with the sealant is made long. Accordingly, the sealant is subjected to photo-curing before the liquid crystal comes in contact with the sealant. The region in which reduced is the speed of diffusion of the liquid crystal is formed using a material for forming a vertical orientation film, a silane coupling agent, a substance having a photocatalytic function, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahide Kanai, Takeshi Nishi, Daisuke Kubota, Tetsuji Ishitani
  • Patent number: 8659731
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display element comprises a pair of substrates facing each other with a predetermined gap, strips of first electrodes formed on one substrate, strips of second electrodes formed on another substrate and crossing the first electrodes, an alignment film formed on at least one of the substrates and treated with an alignment process in a direction not perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the second electrodes, a vertical alignment mode liquid crystal layer placed between the substrates and having a pretilt angle, and a pair of polarizers sandwiching the substrates, wherein the fist and the second electrodes cross each other to form pixels, and non-uniform alignment regions where liquid crystal molecules in a center of a thickness of the liquid crystal layer are aligned in a different direction from the direction defined by the alignment process appear near an edge of each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Iwamoto, Kunihiko Katano
  • Patent number: 8659729
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a first pixel electrode, a second pixel electrode, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The first pixel electrode is formed on the first substrate. The second pixel electrode overlaps with at least a part of the pixel electrode with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween. The second pixel electrode has a plurality of elongated openings and applies a voltage to the liquid crystal layer that is different from the voltage the first pixel electrode applies to the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heeseop Kim, Ohjeong Kwon, Jae Hong Park, Hyeokjin Lee, Sung-Jae Yun, Suk Choi
  • Patent number: 8659738
    Abstract: A phase difference layer laminated body used in a three-dimensional liquid crystal display device, wherein unit cells are divided into groups for left and right eyes, which are given different degrees of polarization, thereby creating a three-dimensional image, further wherein the phase difference layer laminated body has a base material having orientability, and a phase difference layer made of a liquid crystal material that can form a nematic phase and formed in a pattern with two different portions, and the liquid crystal material in each of two different portions is oriented to have different refractive index anisotropy each other that conforms to the two different degrees of polarization and fixed as it is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Keiji Kashima
  • Patent number: 8654288
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes providing an LCD panel that includes a photopolymerizable compound in its liquid crystal layer; and forming alignment sustaining layers by polymerizing the photopolymerizable compound in the liquid crystal layer of the LCD panel with the liquid crystal layer irradiated with light and supplied with a voltage simultaneously. The forming the alignment sustaining layers includes the steps of: i) applying a predetermined voltage between a pixel electrode and a counter electrode while a switching element is in ON state; and ii) changing the voltage at a storage capacitor counter electrode into a voltage, of which the polarity is opposite to a voltage at the storage capacitor counter electrode in the step i), after the switching element in ON state has been turned OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Nagata, Junichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8648974
    Abstract: A PSA LCD panel includes a plurality of pixel units. Each of the pixel units includes a first pixel electrode and a second pixel electrode separated from the first pixel electrode. Each of the first and second pixel electrodes has a pattern scattered from a center in such a manner to form four domains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Te-Wei Chan, Ya-Chieh Chen, Chung-Yi Chiu, Ting-Wei Su, Yi-Pai Huang, Ting-Jui Chang, Jenn-Jia Su
  • Patent number: 8643822
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an optical element including a liquid crystal layer having a spatially-varying tilt angle includes coating a substrate with a linearly photopolymerizable polymer layer, irradiating the linearly photopolymerizable polymer layer with linearly polarized ultra-violet light at a oblique angle, and coating a layer of liquid crystal material on a surface of the irradiated linearly photopolymerizable polymer layer. The liquid crystal material has a predetermined relationship between its tilt angle and a total dose of the linearly polarized ultra-violet light. The linearly photopolymerizable polymer layer is irradiated with at least one dose of linearly polarized ultra-violet light that is sufficient to induce formation of a plurality of discrete regions within the liquid crystal layer having a larger in-plane birefringence than an adjacent or surrounding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventors: Kim Leong Tan, David M. Shemo
  • Patent number: 8643816
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display (LCD), the LCD includes: an insulating substrate; a first gate line and a second gate line which are formed on the insulating substrate and extend parallel to each other; a data line formed on the insulating substrate, insulated from the first and second gate lines, and crosses the first and second gate lines; a first subpixel electrode connected to the first gate line and the data line by a first switching device and includes a plurality of first fine protruding patterns at an edge thereof; and a second subpixel electrode connected to the second gate line and the data line by a second switching device and includes a plurality of second fine protruding patterns at an edge thereof, wherein the first fine protruding patterns are separated from each other by a first gap, and the second fine protruding patterns are separated from each other by a second gap, wherein the sum of a width of the first gap and a width of each of the first fine protruding patterns is greater than the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Gyu Kim, Sahng-Ik Jun, Seung-Soo Baek, Kee-Bum Park
  • Patent number: 8643813
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other; a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate; a lower pixel electrode positioned on the first substrate; a first passivation layer positioned on the lower pixel electrode; an upper pixel electrode positioned on the first passivation layer; and an opposing electrode positioned on the second substrate, wherein the upper pixel electrode comprises a stem and a plurality of minute branches extending outwardly from the stem, and the lower pixel electrode comprises a main body overlapping the plurality of minute branches and at least one bar-shaped portion extending along an edge of the main body maintaining a predetermined gap with the edge of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gak Seok Lee, Youn Hak Jeong, Ki Chul Shin
  • Patent number: 8638403
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided which has a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, in which liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned with respect to the substrates when no voltage is applied between the substrates and the liquid crystal molecules tilt in a plurality of directions to be almost parallel to the substrates by applying a voltage between the substrates. In the liquid crystal layer, when the voltage is applied, a proportion of a region where the liquid crystal molecules tilt in a direction of 0 degrees to 180 degrees is different from a proportion of a region where the liquid crystal molecules tilt in a direction of 180 degrees to 360 degrees with the angle being defined counterclockwise with the right direction on a screen being 0 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidefumi Yoshida, Takashi Sasabayashi, Arihiro Takeda, Hideo Chida, Yoshio Koike, Yasutoshi Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8629961
    Abstract: An alignment structure of a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a plurality of region defining strips disposed at intervals on the substrate, and organic alignment strips disposed between the region defining strips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gee-Sung Chae, Jin-Wuk Kim
  • Patent number: 8614778
    Abstract: A pixel array substrate and a liquid crystal display are provided. The liquid crystal display includes the pixel array substrate, an opposite substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is disposed between the pixel array substrate and the opposite substrate. The pixel array substrate has plural pixel electrodes. Each pixel electrode has a first main portion, a second main portion, a plurality of first and second branches. The first main portion is substantially vertically connected to the second main portion and sequentially defines a first quadrant, a second quadrant, a third quadrant and a fourth quadrant. Each first branch is connected to the first main portion and/or the second main portion. The orientation angles of the first branches in the same quadrant are substantially identical. Each second branch is connected to a plurality of the first branches. Each quadrant has at least one of the second branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Chien-Hong Chen, Ching-Che Yang
  • Patent number: 8610854
    Abstract: A pixel electrode of a liquid crystal display panel is electrically connected to an end of a switch unit of the liquid crystal display panel, and includes: a plurality of branches, which is connected to a frame, each of the branches extending from the frame at a given angle into an interior of the frame; adjacent ones of the branches being sequentially juxtaposed by being spaced by cutoffs; the plurality of branches having tailing ends that define an opening having a configuration of mirror symmetry in the interior of the frame; and an orientation layer being arranged below the frame to cover the frame. Through use of the pixel electrode of the present invention, the liquid crystal display panel shows increased transmittance and improved displaying performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shanghai Tianma Microelectronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Xin Zhang
  • Patent number: 8610864
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a pixel electrode including a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode with a gap therebetween; a common electrode facing the pixel electrode; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode, and including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules, wherein the first and second subpixel electrodes include a plurality of minute branches, the first and second subpixel electrodes include a plurality of subregions having different length directions of the minute branches, and the width of the minute branches is wider than an interval between the neighboring minute branches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eun-Guk Lee, Byung-Duk Yang, Hyang-Shik Kong, Se-Hwan Yu, Sang-ki Kwak, Kyoung-Tai Han, Dong-Yoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8610853
    Abstract: In a method of fabricating an optical element, an alignment surface is photolithographically patterned using a birefringent mask having a holographic pattern therein to create an alignment condition in the alignment surface based on the holographic pattern. A layer is formed on the alignment surface such that local optical axes of the layer are oriented according to the alignment condition in the alignment surface. For example, the layer may be a liquid crystal layer having respective molecular axes aligned according to the alignment condition. Related fabrication methods and polarization gratings are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventor: Michael James Escuti
  • Patent number: 8605242
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes a signal line disposed on a substrate, a pixel electrode connected to the signal line and including a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode, a common electrode disposed opposite the pixel electrode, and a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. The liquid crystal layer is divided into domains including a first direction domain and a second direction domain in a region corresponding to the first subpixel electrode, and a third direction domain and a fourth direction domain in a region corresponding to the second subpixel electrode, and an area of the third direction domain is greater than about twice and less than about then times an area of the fourth direction domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seon-Ah Cho, Jang-Kun Song, Hyun-Wuk Kim
  • Patent number: 8599344
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel disposed between a first polarizer and a second polarizer and having at least one first area and at least one second area. A first light-transmission axis direction of the first polarizer is substantially perpendicular to a second light-transmission axis direction of the second polarizer. The first light-transmission axis direction intersects a horizontal axis direction by about 45 degrees. When the display panel is in a narrow viewing angle display mode, the first and second areas have different brightness in a side viewing angle direction but have the same brightness in and around a normal viewing angle direction. When the display panel is in a wide viewing angle display mode, the first and second areas have substantially the same brightness in various viewing angle directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Chao-Wei Yeh, Chien-Huang Liao, Wen-Hao Hsu
  • Patent number: 8599339
    Abstract: Disclosed is a compensation film, a manufacturing method thereof and a liquid crystal display, which can obtain a wider viewing angle. The liquid crystal display can secure a wider viewing angle by providing the compensation film formed of multi-layered cholesteric liquid crystal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Man Hoan Lee, Ha Young Lee
  • Patent number: 8599345
    Abstract: VA-mode liquid crystal display device having a high display quality is provided. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; a first electrode provided in the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side and a second electrode provided in the second substrate on the liquid crystal layer side; and a first alignment film provided between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer and a second alignment film provided between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixel areas located in a matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Iichiro Inoue, Shinichi Terashita, Koichi Miyachi
  • Patent number: 8599343
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The liquid crystal display device is manufactured by placing a half tone mask on the assembled first and second substrates in a polymerization process of liquid crystal composition disposed between the first and second substrates. The liquid crystal composition includes liquid crystal molecules and reactive mesogens. The half tone mask has a first transmission part and a second transmission part. The light transmittance of the first transmission part is higher than the light transmittance of the second transmission part. The first transmission part is disposed in the pixel region, while the second transmission part is disposed in the non-pixel region. The non-pixel region is covered by a black matrix that is formed on the second substrate. Through this manufacturing method, the generation of spots around a black matrix is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gyung-Soon Park, Kyung-Min Park
  • Patent number: 8593602
    Abstract: The present invention provides a production method of a liquid crystal display device, and an exposure device, which can inhibit the deterioration of display quality even when the aligning treatment of an alignment layer is performed using an optical alignment method. The present invention pertains to a production method of a liquid crystal display device in which an alignment layer is provided on a substrate and two or more domains are formed in each pixel of a display region by exposing the alignment layer, wherein the production method includes the exposure step of exposing the alignment layer through a photo mask in which a plurality of light-transmitting areas are located in a stripe pattern, and wherein the exposure step is a step of exposing the alignment layer continuously while the relative position of the photo mask with respect to the substrate is moved at the time of viewing a substrate surface from the front in substantially parallel with the light-transmitting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hakoi, Koichi Miyachi
  • Publication number: 20130300994
    Abstract: The present invention provides a pixel structure disposed on a substrate, and the pixel structure includes an alignment layer, a common electrode, and a pixel electrode. The alignment layer is disposed on the substrate, and the alignment layer has a first section and a second section. The first section has a first alignment direction, and the second section has a second alignment direction perpendicular to the first alignment direction. The common electrode is disposed between the substrate and the alignment layer, and the pixel electrode is disposed between the substrate and the alignment layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hung-Yu Wu, Hsin-Min Fu, Jan-Tian Lian
  • Patent number: 8582064
    Abstract: Disclosed is an MVA type liquid crystal display device (LCD 100A) forming four domains in which liquid crystal molecules fall in different directions that are about 90° apart. The MVA type liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix of rows and columns, which pixels are horizontally long pixels having longer sides extending in the row direction. Each pixel includes two first electrodes (21a and 21b) arranged side by side along the row direction. Preferably, at least one of the two first electrodes (21a and 21b) has a first corner section including a first edge that is parallel to the row direction and a second edge that is parallel to the column direction, and the first substrate further includes an electrode layer (16c) overlapping at least a portion of the first edge or the second edge of the first corner section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Horiuchi, Takaharu Yamada, Yuhko Hisada, Ryohki Itoh, Masahiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20130293815
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal layer extending at least in a display region; first and second substrates affixed to each other so as to sandwich the liquid crystal layer therebetween; and a pair of polarization plates disposed to sandwich these substrates therebetween. The first substrate is provided with a pixel electrode corresponding to each of a plurality of pixels. The second substrate is provided with a counter electrode so as to face the pixel electrode. A first alignment film is disposed on the pixel electrode. A second alignment film is disposed on the counter electrode. The pixels each include a plurality of domains having different combinations of alignment directions of the first and second alignment films. The pixel electrode has a slit group along at least a part of an outline of the pixel electrode and in the vicinity of the outline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Shibazaki, Ken Kobuki, Satomi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Tsuchiya, Yusuke Nishihara, Taichi Sasaki, Seiji Tanuma
  • Patent number: 8576364
    Abstract: A method for forming the alignment films on the substrate and a pixel structure of a liquid crystal display are disclosed. The pixel structure comprises a plurality of pixel units arranged in arrays. Each of the pixel units comprises a first substrate, a second substrate, two first alignment films and two second alignment films. The first alignment film is different from the second alignment film. The second substrate is disposed opposite to the first substrate. The two first alignment films and the two second alignment films are individually disposed on the first substrate and the second substrate, while each of the first alignment films is disposed substantially opposite to one of the second alignment films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Wei-Tse Hsu, Hung-Lung Hou, Yu-Wei Liu, Ren-Bin Lin, Yi-Ting Lee, Chin-Hsuan Dai, Norio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 8576363
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal layer disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, a pixel electrode in a reflection region and a transmission region over the first substrate, a film for adjusting a cell gap in the reflection region over the first substrate, and an opposite electrode in the reflection region and the transmission region over the second substrate. The pixel electrode in the reflection region is provided over the film and reflects light. The pixel electrode in the transmission region transmits light. The pixel electrode in the reflection region and the transmission region includes a slit. The slit is overlapped with at least a part of a step portion which is provided by the film between the reflection region and the transmission region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 8570472
    Abstract: Provided are an optical compensation film and a method for producing the same. The optical compensation film includes a nematic liquid crystal compound including a compound having at least two mesogens linked to each other with a constant angle, and has hybrid alignment in which the alignment of the liquid crystal compound varies gradually along the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: SK Innovation Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonggyun Cho, Kwangjin Chung, Cholho Lee, Yooseock Hwang, Hyukjun Kim, Kiyup Kim, Sungho Son, Kibeom Kim
  • Patent number: 8570465
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid crystal display including: a first insulating substrate; a light blocking member positioned on the first insulating substrate and having a frame portion defining openings for pixels; a step compensated pattern positioned on the first insulating substrate and in one of the openings; a second insulating substrate facing the first insulating substrate; a first electrode formed on the first insulating substrate in the same layer as a second domain dividing unit; a second electrode facing the first electrode and disposed in the same layer as the first domain dividing unit; and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the step compensated pattern overlaps the first domain dividing unit or the second domain dividing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ji-Sun Kim, Bong Hyun You, Chong-Chul Chai, Yeong-Keun Kwon, Mi-Seon Seo
  • Patent number: 8570473
    Abstract: A display substrate includes a base substrate on which a pixel area is defined. The pixel area includes a first sub-pixel area and a second sub-pixel area. A plurality of first electrode portions is disposed at a first interval in the first sub-pixel area, and a plurality of second electrode portions is disposed at a second interval in the second sub-pixel area. The first electrode portion has a first width, and the second electrode portion has a second width. The first width of the first electrode portion is different from the second width of the second electrode portion, or the first interval between adjacent first electrode portions is different from the second interval between adjacent second electrode portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi Li, Seong-Jun Lee, Jae-Young Lee, Seon-Hong Ahn, Sung-Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 8564751
    Abstract: A VA-mode liquid crystal display device having a high display quality is provided. A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal layer; a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other with the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween; a first electrode provided in the first substrate on the liquid crystal layer side and a second electrode provided in the second substrate on the liquid crystal layer side; and a first alignment film provided between the first electrode and the liquid crystal layer and a second alignment film provided between the second electrode and the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of pixel areas located in a matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yohei Nakanishi, Masanobu Mizusaki, Takashi Katayama, Yuichi Kawahira
  • Patent number: 8564753
    Abstract: A display substrate includes a base substrate and a unitary indivisible pixel electrode. The base substrate includes a gate line, a data line crossing the gate line and a thin-film transistor electrically connected to the gate line and the data line formed thereon. A pixel area is defined on the base substrate. The unitary indivisible pixel electrode includes a plurality of branch electrodes formed on the pixel area and a connection electrode connecting the branch electrodes to each other. Each of the branch electrodes includes a bent portion and the bent portions of adjacent branch electrodes are spaced apart from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hye-Ran You, Su-Han Woo, Su-Jeong Kim, Jae-Jin Lyu, Seung-Beom Park, Yoon-Sung Um
  • Patent number: 8558959
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates, defined as a first substrate and a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates. The device also includes a pixel electrode and an additional electrode formed on the first substrate, and a contact hole that is configured and arranged to connect the pixel electrode and the additional electrode. In certain embodiments, the contact hole is formed at a liquid crystal domain boundary. In other embodiments, an additional contact hole is also provided between the pixel electrode and a second additional electrode, and in such embodiments the contact hole and the additional contact hole are formed within different liquid crystal domains. Further, in certain embodiments, the pixel electrode includes a plurality of pixel electrode slits arranged in a pattern to form a plurality of liquid crystal domains within each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Inoue, Kenichi Nagaoka, Yuji Nakahata, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Yohei Nakanishi, Kazutaka Hanaoka, Yuichi Inoue, Masakazu Shibasaki
  • Patent number: 8553188
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal molecules provided between a first substrate and a second substrate; pixels forming a display area; electrodes for applying a voltage across the liquid crystal layer within each of the pixels; a plurality of domain regulating structures for dividing orientations of the liquid crystal molecules and forming multiple domains within each of the pixels, when a predetermined voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer within each of the pixels. The device also includes a structure which is formed in an outer area located next to the display area, but that does not overlap the display area, and is substantially the same as at least one of the plurality of domain regulating structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Arihiro Takeda, Katsufumi Ohmuro, Yoshio Koike, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Takashi Sasabayashi, Hideaki Tsuda, Hideo Chida, Makoto Ohashi, Kenji Okamoto, Hisashi Yamaguchi, Minoru Otani, Makoto Morishige, Noriaki Furukawa, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Yoshinori Tanaka, Atuyuki Hoshino, Shougo Hayashi, Hideaki Takizawa, Takeshi Kinjou, Makoto Tachibanaki, Keiji Imoto, Tadashi Hasegawa, Hidefumi Yoshida, Hiroyasu Inoue, Yoji Taniguchi, Tetsuya Fujikawa, Satoshi Murata, Manabu Sawasaki, Tomonori Tanose, Siro Hirota, Masahiro Ikeda, Kunihiro Tashiro, Kouji Tsukao, Yasutoshi Tasaka, Takatoshi Mayama, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8547311
    Abstract: A dual-image flat display device includes a first and a second substrates parallel with each other, a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules, and at least a pixel disposed on the second substrate. The pixel includes pluralities of sub-pixels arranged side by side along a first direction. Each sub-pixel has a first azimuthal angle domain and a second azimuthal angle domain, wherein the first and second azimuthal angle domains are arranged side by side along a second direction in the sub-pixel, and the second direction is not parallel with the first direction. The azimuthal angles of liquid crystal molecules in the first and second azimuthal angle domains have an included angle less than 180°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chao-Yuan Chen, Chieh-Wei Chen, Hung-Lung Hou, Chia-Yu Lee, Jenn-Jia Su
  • Patent number: 8547512
    Abstract: A multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and at least one projection. The second substrate is opposite to the first substrate. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first and second substrates. The projection is formed in the first substrate. In displaying a dark state, a lower surface of the projection is on the same plane as a lower surface of the first substrate; and in displaying a bright state, the projection bulges outward to have the lower surface of the projection projecting outward beyond the lower surface of the first substrate. When the multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display panel displays a dark state, the projection does not undergo deformation so that the projection does not affect the directions of the liquid crystal molecules contained in the liquid crystal layer thereby eliminating occurrence of light leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Yu Lee
  • Patent number: 8542227
    Abstract: In a display apparatus, pixels are arranged in a matrix defined by gate lines and data lines, and each pixel includes a first sub pixel charged to a first pixel voltage and a second sub pixel charged to a second pixel voltage having a same voltage level as the first pixel voltage. A voltage controller controls a voltage level of the first and second pixel voltages charged in the pixels corresponding to the first through penultimate pixel rows in response to a next gate signal. A dummy voltage controller controls a voltage level of the first and second pixel voltages charged in the pixels corresponding to the last pixel row in response to a dummy gate signal. Where a dummy voltage controller is not included, a black matrix partially covers the efficient display area of the pixels corresponding to the last pixel row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hye-Ran You, Hee-Wook Do, Seung-Hoo Yoo, Sung-Min Kang, Hoon Kim, Hyun-Cheol Moon, Ho-Kyoon Kwon
  • Patent number: 8537313
    Abstract: The invention discloses a liquid crystal display apparatus and a color filter substrate. The color filter substrate can be used in a display module. The color filter substrate may include a glass substrate, a light-shielding matrix, a color layer and one or multiple transparent conductive films disposed on the same side of the glass substrate. There is at least one slit structure formed on one of the transparent conductive films. Each slit structure corresponds to the color layer respectively. The one or multiple transparent conductive films can be used for shielding a liquid crystal layer of the display module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, Ltd.
    Inventors: Meng-Chi Liou, Ching-Yi Chen
  • Patent number: 8537316
    Abstract: A vertical alignment liquid crystal layer is sealed between a first substrate having a first electrode and a second substrate having a second electrode, each pixel region has a reflective region and a transmissive region, and a gap adjusting section is provided on one of sides of the first substrate and the second substrate which sets a thickness (gap) d of the liquid crystal layer which controls a phase difference of incident light to the liquid crystal layer so that a gap dr in the reflective region is smaller than a gap dt in the transmissive region. An alignment controller which divides alignment of the liquid crystal within a pixel region is provided in the pixel region on at least one of the sides of the first substrate and the second substrate. It is also possible to optimize by changing the gap in red, green, and blue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Koma, Kazuyuki Maeda, Masayuki Kametani, Kazuhiro Inoue, Masaaki Aota
  • Patent number: 8537314
    Abstract: A display device includes a first panel having a pixel electrode, a second panel having a common electrode facing the first panel, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first panel and the second panel and having vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules, a first alignment layer disposed on the pixel electrode, and a second alignment layer disposed on the common electrode. At least one of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer divides the pixel electrode into a plurality of domains and is formed to have a plurality of pretilt directions which pretilt the vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules in a domain of the plurality of domains. A sum of horizontal component directions of a pretilt direction of the plurality of pretilt directions is substantially equivalent to a sum of horizontal component directions of a fringe field at a peripheral boundary of the pixel electrode in the domain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun-woo Lee, Hwa-sung Woo, Baek-kyun Jeon, Kyoung-tae Kim, In-suk Lee
  • Patent number: 8537315
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) structure is provided. A first alignment layer and a first electrode layer are disposed on a liquid crystal layer. A second electrode layer and a second alignment layer disposed under the liquid crystal layer. The first alignment layer and the second alignment layer respectively have a plurality of alignment areas with different aligning directions. At least one of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer includes a substrate material and a plurality of openings, and at least includes a plurality of electrode areas. The boundaries of the electrode areas correspond to the boundaries of the alignment areas. The directions of the openings in the electrode areas are between the aligning directions of the corresponding alignment areas of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Jian-Cheng Chen, Chih-Yung Hsieh, Bo-Chin Tsuei
  • Patent number: 8531408
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to single-domain electrode configurations that may be implemented in the unit pixels of a LCD device, such as a fringe field switching (FFS) LCD, to provide a “pseudo-multi-domain” effect, wherein the benefits of both conventional single-domain and multi-domain pixel configuration devices are retained. In accordance with aspects of the present technique, single-domain unit pixels are angled or tilted in differing directions with respect to a vertical axis of the LCD panel (e.g., y-axis) to provide an alternating and/or periodic arrangement of different-angled pixel electrodes along each scanning line, data line, or a combination of both scanning and data lines. In this manner, the transmittance rates of conventional single-domain LCD panels may be retained while providing for improved viewing angle and color shift properties typical of conventional multi-domain LCD panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xu, Cheng Chen, Mingxia Gu, John Z. Zhong, Shawn Robert Gettemy, Shih Chang Chang
  • Patent number: 8531634
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display including a pair of substrates arranged opposite to each other to form a gap; spaced vertical alignment films formed on the substrate in the gap; a cured material formed on at least one of the alignment films in the gap; and a liquid crystal layer of liquid crystal molecules. The display also includes a pixel electrode formed on one of the substrates in a pixel region and having either a plurality of elongated members arranged with spaces therebetween and connected by a connecting member or a plurality of elongated openings arranged in patterns. Finally, the cured material is at least formed on the vertical alignment films so that an alignment direction of at least the liquid crystal molecules adjacent the alignment films is regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutaka Hanaoka, Seiji Tanuma, Yohei Nakanishi, Kazuya Ueda, Shingo Kataoka, Takahiro Sasaki, Arihiro Takeda, Hideaki Tsuda, Takatoshi Mayama, Yuichi Inoue, Norio Sugiura
  • Patent number: 8531633
    Abstract: According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a liquid crystal layer may be aligned by using an alignment layer including an alignment base layer having a horizontal alignment layer and a vertical alignment layer, and an alignment control agent. Accordingly, a multi-domain liquid crystal display having an excellent viewing angle for all grays may be provided. Also, a multi-domain liquid crystal display having a fast response speed as well as an excellent viewing angle for all grays may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: IUCF-HYU (Industry-University Cooperation Foundation Hanyang University)
    Inventor: Jae-Hoon Kim